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Monday, June 16, 2008

Happy Father's Day, Dad! Dad? Are you there?

Dad? I tried calling my Dad on Father's Day. This is a risky for any of us siblings. If my Dad answers, you will have a pleasant conversation. It's pleasant until he announces some strange medical problem he is having but attributes it to the cold weather. I am then left a nervous wreck that he is going to have a medical emergency with no one to assist him. I'm afraid his wife wouldn't realize there was anything wrong due to her dementia.

If previously said wife happens to answers the phone, be prepared for a long wait. Vona is the happiest person on this earth. But she has no clue who I am. Seriously. I've introduced myself several times. On the 4th time she warmly exclaimed how happy she is to meet me. She will then leave my line of sight for 3 minutes only to return questioning me, "I sure would like to meet Burt's daughter. They say she's here, but I've never met her!" Anyway, back to the phone call. After I explain to Vona that I would like to speak to my Dad she will place the phone down and then you pray that someone will come to the phone.

Yesterday I bravely placed the phone call. It was busy. My Dad doesn't have caller ID or an answering machine or service. I don't think he knows what a cell phone is. If he had any of those things he would never know what all those buttons were for. I remember all of us sitting in the car at the airport with my Dad. He was trying to park in the parking garage. But my poor technology deficit father couldn't figure out how to raise the gate. A cheerful computer voice kept repeating, "Please take the ticket." My Dad had never seen such a strange device that would talk to you and demand you to take a ticket. A ticket he couldn't find in that strange talking box! He was getting very flustered as five antsy kids added our voices, "Take the ticket Dad! See, right there! Daaaaad!!!" As the cars began to line up behind us I swear the cheerful computer voice began demanding in a very uncheerful way, "TAKE THE TICKET!" And that was the last time I ever went to the airport with my Dad. I was 12.

Oh yes, I was trying to call my Dad for Father's Day. I tried a couple more times but it was still busy. I figured one of my brothers was trying to call. After all, with 6 children, he should have a busy phone line on father's day. Well, after trying a couple more times today I began to worry. He could be having a medical emergency with a wife that can't remember how to call for help! I called my youngest brother Paul, because he's good at staying in contact with Dad. "Paul, did you talk to Dad yesterday?"

"I tried. Vona answered the phone and then she put the phone down to get him. I waited and waited but she never came back."

So, how long do you think it will take for my Dad to realize his phone is off the hook? It could be days. The man doesn't talk to many people. He prefers his goats. They never demand that you take a ticket.

4 comments:

Laura
said...

All i did was laugh at this post, so funny, but so true at the same time. Just for Peace of mind we talked to him, well Ray talked to him for a good 30 mins. We needed to know what he was in need of this year for Fathers Day, he Needed pants, so we got him pants, I hemmed them to about a 28-29 legnth. Ray asked him about the really nice carhart overalls we gave him a few years back, he said "oh i never wore them, so i gave them away, and this winter i really paid for it, i wish i would of had those overalls." So i am hoping and praying he actually wears the pants we bought and sewed him, and doesn't give them away either.

As soon as Paul hung up (after waiting on the line for ages) we both wondered how long it would be off the hook. Paul tried calling yesterday afternoon and it worked. So you should be good to send him a late Happy Fathers Day.